Nothing to Lose

Kids Help phone is one of the most important organizations for youth support in Canada. Helping youth deal with hard times for over 20 years, the service has been available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year since May 1989. “Our mission is to improve the well-being of Canadian children and youth by providing them anonymous and confidential professional counseling, referrals, and information through technologically-based communications media. Last year, we helped Canadian kids in need well over two million times through our phone and online counseling services.” Kids help phone has helped millions of children over its 20-year existence, and continues to help those in need with care and comfort. I feel very close to this cause, as I remember the campaign ever since I was in elementary school. My teacher gave a presentation on the organization, and we were given blue stickers with the phone number on it. I have that sticker to this day in my room.

Billy Talent, one of my favourite bands, is closely associated with kids help phone. One of their early singles titled “Nothing to Lose” was a song about the band’s high school friend, who committed suicide as a result of being bullied. The band’s music song and music video tried to reach out to children in similar situations, and the kids help phone logo and number was featured at the end of the music video. Millions of children would watch the video, and those who needed the number would have it.

I believe that this organization is greatly needed, and is doing an amazing job of helping Canadian youth in need. I plan to donate in the future to kids help phone, and will support the organization in any way I can such as volunteering. If I can help save one kid’s life, it was well worth my time, money and effort. There’s "nothing to lose", so why not do the same?

Works Cited

"YouTube - billy talent - nothing to lose (music video)." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGUw0und0HM

Kids Help Phone. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://org.kidshelpphone.ca/en

Gaming Culture

There are many participatory cultures which I am a part of, but one stands out in particular. Gaming is probably the largest participatory culture I am a part of. Through online gaming, I am connected with millions of other online gamers. Both myself and an opposing gamer may not personally know each other, but have much in common when it comes to gaming. We are on the same page as to the rules of the game, the controls of the game, and many other aspects. There is no need to teach my opponent how to play etc., as we both have the common knowledge required to play. When something is shared on a mass scale, we call it culture. If millions of people play online games, that is considered a culture. Video gaming is almost like a second life to me. When I turn on my Xbox 360, and sign on to Xbox Live, I am entering a new world, where I forget about all of life’s problems, and just have fun. Chuck Klosterman also feels this way in his book Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs.
“The sims is an escapist vehicle for people who want to escape” (Klosterman 13). When one plays any video game, such as “sims”, it is an escape into a different culture for that time being. I can play online with someone from China, India and Spain all at the same time. Our culture together is video gaming. On no other medium can this be achieved, as gaming does not require any communication. There is the option of chatting with others online, but it is not required to play the game. There is a common ground between my opponent and I, even though we don’t speak the same language.

Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry, and has helped shaped modern American culture, essentially created a culture of it’s own. With over 200 million online gamers worldwide, the industry, and culture, continues to grow. Millions share a common interest, and millions more will join the trend.

Works Cited

"An Industry Shows It's Growing Value." Business Week. 12 May. 2006. 20 Oct. 2009.

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/may20

Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner, 2003.

"Online Gaming Industry Stats." Grab Stats. 2008. 20 Oct. 2009.

http://www.grabstats.com/statcategorymain.asp?Stat

Green Day and American Idiots

Culture jamming is any means in which the mainstream media or corporations are disrupted or contradicted, usually by an activist group. By doing this, awareness is raised on issues usually ignored or hidden by these very corporations and media conglomerates. Culture jamming goes against mainstream culture, particularly North American culture, and can be displayed in many different ways. One great example of culture jamming is Green Day’s “American Idiot”:

“Don't want to be an American idiot.

One nation controlled by the media.

Information age of hysteria.

It's calling out to idiot America.”

-Green Day

Green Day is completely bashing the mainstream media in this song; ironically, the song was distributed by the mass media. The song essentially suggests that Americans are fooled and controlled by the mainstream media. It suggests that events such as 9/11, the Iraq war etc., were mostly propaganda, and this information sent the nation into hysteria. Citizens were worried for their lives, and were scared that every plane they flew would be hijacked and blown up by terrorists. This sent the nation into a state of fear, leaving an excuse to enter Afghanistan, and eventually Iraq. Lots of money was made as a result of the war, and capitalists laughed while soldiers died. American idiot says all of this, without completely saying it. It is pretty obvious what the message is, but the listener is left to fill in the blanks. In the music video for the song, the American flag is seen hanging in the background, covered in green, and missing its traditional colours. Green Day’s signature colour is obviously green; by painting the flag green, this symbolizes that the band is essentially contradicting America and jamming American culture. Green Day now becomes the message of the media, not the traditional capitalist media. Green Day is known to be “culture jammers” as much of their music is rebellious and controversial. Green Day’s “American Idiot” can be considered the complete opposite of patriotism.

"they viewed patriotism as a downside... everyone seemed to think patriotic people [were] totally insane" - Chuck Klosterman (42)

Works Cited

"GREEN DAY LYRICS - American Idiot." A-Z Lyrics Universe. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/greenday/americanidiot.html

Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner, 2003.

"YouTube - Green Day American Idiot HQ." YouTube. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOUnLiVEddI

Over-Consumption and Capitalism

On November 27^th in North America, and November 28^th elsewhere, people around the world will choose to purchase nothing, in awareness of over-consumption and consumerism. “Buy nothing day” was first started in 1992 in Vancouver, Canada by Ted Dave, a local artist, and first received media attention from Adbusters magazine. Over 65 nations currently participate in the event. The idea of the day is to realize how our lives are based on over-consuming, and how our society is based on capitalism. Activities are organized including cutting up credit cards, standing in busy malls with protesting signs etc. to spread awareness of the day, as no mainstream media covered the event except for CNN. MTV, ABC and CTV all turned down the commercial, and banned it from their networks.

Kalle Lasn, editor and chief of Adbusters magazine surprisingly landed an interview on CNN in 2007, which even featured a “buy nothing day” ad. However, the interview was set up to contradict Kalle and make a fool of him, as most of his ideas were shot down by the CNN anchor. In the interview he stated “Over consumption is in some sense the mother of all our environmental problems” and received the response, “Oh come on, environmental problems?”. Kalle responded, “Yes environmental problems, every single purchase you make has some sort of impact on the planet”. What kind of news anchor responds to a valid point with “come on”?

Our culture is so based around consumerism that we forget how much we actually spend. Capitalism saturates our economic system, and something must be done about it. Kalle stated in his 2007 interview, that North American’s consume 86% of global goods, leaving a mere 14% for the rest of the world. If we don’t change our spending habits, environmental, political and psychological consequences will occur. “Don’t buy anything day” is the best thing that has happened to North America, as it continues to spread awareness of over-consumption, and grows larger every year. On November 27^th, I will not be purchasing anything, and I hope you won't either.

"...buying things makes people happy because it takes their mind off living...i get the impression that American's love it." - Chuck Klosterman (19)

Works Cited

"Buy Nothing Day | Adbusters Culturejammer Headquarters." Adbusters Culturejammer Headquarters | Journal of the mental environment. Adbusters, 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

https://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd

Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. New York: Scribner, 2003.

"YouTube - Kalle Lasn on CNN Buy Nothing Day." YouTube. 2007. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPQY_Cb4IlI

Corporate Interests and the Internet

The Internet was created on the basis that information could be shared among many computers, and at no cost. Today, the capitalist approach is slowly taking over, as more and more websites require subscriptions, fees, or memberships at a cost. The World Wide Web is slowly becoming a market for business. Many companies operate solely online, such as PayPal, EBay etc. Many entrepreneurs have realized this opportunity and have taken advantage of it. However, some sites have chosen to provide services for free, such as Google, YouTube, Wikipedia etc. Companies such as these could be charging for their services, but choose not to (for now at least). The capitalist approach is slowly taking over the Internet…literally.

Corporate companies are now proposing a different way to make profit. Currently, no company, organization or group actually “owns” the internet. Websites are owned by individual parties, but the web in which they are connected is not owned by anyone. Companies are now looking to buy out the web itself. A company like AOL Time Warner would have control as to what content would be hosted, who could and could not see the content and when, and how much one would pay to do so. An entire new market will be created which never existed before. It would be like charging citizens for every step they take. As long as the law permits it, an entire new market would be created. A corporation would control where you could and could not go, how much you would have to pay to go there, and when you could and could not go. This is essentially the opposite of net neutrality. Corporations will lock certain documents, band certain web pages etc. all at a cost to unlock or access them, when they would otherwise be free.

The mainstream media has not raised this issue at all, even though it is a very real possibility in the near future. The awareness on the issue comes from underground media sources, word of mouth and online groups. The majority of backlashers are students and youth. In order for these corporations to gain ownership of the web, they must be legally allowed to do so, under a government bill. That is exactly what is taking place at the current moment. Bill C-61 is an online copyright law which seeks to copyright all online material, including currently free material such as online articles etc. as property of a corporation. If you access the information illegally, you are essentially violating copyright law and can be legally punished, even if the content was posted free of charge. If I post my own blog, a corporation has the right to lock it, and charge others to access it, even though I created it and posted it. Bill C-61 will inevitably kill culture, as all of our media will be controlled by corporations, in their best interests. Public opinion will be suppressed, and culture will be fabricated by large corporations. Expression, originality and diversity will be compromised as a result of this bill.

There are Facebook groups, blogs, and online communities opposing this bill, with intentions to put an end to it. These corrupt government officials and corporations must be stopped in order to preserve the Internet as we know it.

“Every industry affected by copyright today is the product and beneficiary of a certain kind of piracy. Film, records, radio, cable TV…The list is long and could well be expanded [including the addition of the internet]”. – Lawrence Lessig (61)

Works Cited

Lessig, Lawrence. Free Culture The Nature and Future of Creativity. New York: Penguin (Non-Classics), 2005. Print.

Cross Media Ownership and the Fabrication of Culture

AOL Time Warner is known to be the largest Major Media Company in the world. Some if it’s properties include:

-12 television/film companies including Warner Bros and Hanna-Barbera

-29 operations including CNN, Time Warner Cable (13 million customers in USA)

-24 Book Brands including Time Life Books

-35 magazines including Time and Fortune Magazine (120 million readers)

-AOL (27 million subscribers), CompuServe, Netscape

-52 record labels

-Theme parks, Warner Bros Studios stores in over 30 countries

-Turner Entertainment Corporation (owns 4 sports teams)

*CEO Gerald Levin and Chair Steve Case employ over 70,000 workers, and generate over $31.8 billion in revenue.

Many implications are evident as a result of cross media ownership. News can be skewed, altered or fabricated to present a false picture in light of corporate interest by the parent company. Ex. CNN may air a segment on an upcoming artist, signed to Warner Records, in order to boost record sales. The average viewer may not realize that Warner Records and CNN are both owned by the same parent company (AOL Time Warner), and may see no relation between the two. Many other implications such as this can occur. AOL Time Warner may use any property in any combination to benefit itself, such as in the example above. The result is the fabrication of culture by Major Media Companies such as this one.

Another downfall to cross media ownership is the fact that most of our information is coming from one source, and there is no room for diversity from other sources. We only receive one viewpoint or angle on major issues, as to benefit the parent company, and never see the other side of the coin unless we seek other sources of information. By seeking other sources, we can make our own conclusions based on a variety of sources, rather than being “handed” the news based on one source, and automatically deem the information to be true.

One major implication of cross media ownership is that the credibility of a company or property may be compromised. If CNN were to constantly air stories on Warner Records artists, the viewers may catch on, and begin to question the credibility of CNN. If news is being fabricated, one might not trust that news station on other stories as well. If the station fabricated a story on an artist, why couldn’t they fabricate stories on the Iraq war in interests of oil companies under AOL Time Warner?

Cross media ownership is a common example of capitalism in our modern society. This Media Hegemony is controlling the media we receive on a day-to-day basis whether we realize it or not, and is essentially fabricating culture. As long as one remains aware of this fact, and seeks other sources of media than that from one parent company, such as AOL Time Warner, one can think for themselves, and come up with their own conclusions on what to believe and what to question.

"One of the most cherished freedoms in a democracy is the right to participate freely in the 'marketplace of ideas'" - John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton (10)

Works Cited

Stauber, John, and Sheldon Rampton. Toxic Sludge is Good for You! Maine. Common Courage, 1995. Print.

Williams, Granville. "Ultra Concentrated Media - Top Selling Brands." Ultra Concentrated Media - Top Selling Brands. Granville Williams, Apr. 2001. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.

http://www.newint.org/issue333/Images/ni333-media.pdf

Fake News

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyn8Kb_do8g&feature=player_embedded

Truth. It’s a journalist’s duty. But when corporate interests are considered, the truth can be skewed drastically. CNN and Fox news are the two biggest culprits of propaganda, which America is notorious for. Images of war can be skewed. Take the current Iraq war for example. One of the greatest examples of false news occurred on April 9, 2003, when the statue of Saddam Hussein was toppled. It was all over the news, including CNN and Fox. CNN news wrote, “Crowds cheer as a statue of Saddam Hussein falls”. CNN cameras shot footage of the statue falling, using close-ups around the statue. This created the illusion of a large crowd, when in fact the crowd was small. The editors used only these close-ups to release to the public. However, wide-angle shots of the event were leaked, and the truth came out. There was a small crowd, it was quiet, and there was very minimal cheering. CNN had skewed the story to create this illusion of liberating the Iraqi people as they cheered for America. Corporate interests were considered when these shots were chosen, as to create the illusion that America had complete control over the situation in Iraq.

There are many implications as a result of propaganda such as this. The public is given false information. Why are we forced to believe everything the media tells us, just because it is the media? We assume the information to be trustworthy; after all, CNN is supposedly “the most trusted name in news” (which doesn’t mean they are 100% honest, it just means they are the “most trusted”). I now personally force myself to question and reconsider the media, and not to jump to conclusions just because of what the media tells me. There are countless examples of false media and propaganda, especially from CNN, and not enough time to list them all. Just be aware of what you are being told, and don’t believe everything you see on the news, just because CNN tells you its true. “ProMario”, a YouTube user who posted a video that reveals the truth behind the toppling of the statue stated:

“The up close action video of the statue being destroyed is broadcast around the world as proof of a massive uprising…There are no more than 200 people in the square at best.” - ProMario

Works Cited

"Saddam Statue Toppled in Central Baghdad." CNN. 9 Apr. 2003. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/09/sprj.irq.statue/>.

“Stage Managing Toppling of Saddam Statue." YouTube. 4 Jan. 2007. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyn8Kb_do8g&feature=player_embedded>.

Theory/Praxis: Individualism, Media and the End of Culture

In today’s society, Individualism is a growing concept. As technology advances, so do the needs of the individual. Everyone cares more about themselves, and less about others. Large companies, along with the media, have realized this, and are gradually adapting to this idea of the individual. Notice how everything nowadays is becoming “customizable” as technology advances. Advertising online now focuses on the individual. Instead of mass marketing, it is now marketing to the individual, but still on a mass scale. For example, this was pulled directly from Yahoo!’s website:

“How we customize your Yahoo! experience

We look at a person's browsing activity, such as the types of content the person accessed, ads the person clicked, and searches the person conducted. Based on this, we infer certain interests the person has, and we show ads likely to meet the person's needs. For example, for people who like to check out the golf scores on Yahoo! Sports, we may show ads that focus on golf-related products and services.

We offer this service not just on the Yahoo! network but across our partners’ sites as well.

Advertising is how we’re able to offer the innovative, free services that are traditional at Yahoo!. As we continue to customize your Yahoo! experience, you may see ads that more closely reflect your interests.”

By “customizing” advertisements, Yahoo! Is able to guarantee to a client that their advertisement will reach their target demographic.

The iPod is also an individual media. Each user owns their own iPod with their own music. The new “genius” feature even lists songs similar to the one you are listening to. Users are plugged in to isolated, sound-cancelling headphones, and separate themselves from society while listening to their own music, in their own world. The cell phone is another example. When one is on the cell phone, they are isolating themselves from society, and are in their own world. All of this individualized media is killing culture.

So how does this affect my everyday media practices? Well, I am an Internet user. I spend a very large portion of my day on the computer. Whenever I am on Facebook, I notice advertisements that relate to me constantly, when I am on Yahoo!, I notice the same thing. I am no longer exposed to advertisements that I would not be interested in. I am an iPod user; I listen to my iPod, isolated from the world. I am a cell phone user; I also isolate myself from the world when I am using it. This may be good for some, but the way I see it, I am being isolated in my own little world with this type of advertising. I don’t believe this is the way it should be. This form of advertising is killing culture. Imagine what the future of media will be once technology advances even further? Your iPod will know what song you want to listen to, before you even think about it. Your television will list programs you might find interesting. Your computer will greet you by name. This concept of individualism will eventually kill culture. And something must be done to stop it.

Works Cited

Customized Advertising." Yahoo!. 2008. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://info.yahoo.com/relevantads/>.

Scott, John . "Individualism." Individualism. 11 Jul. 2009. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://www.individualism.com/?cat=3>.

Decoding/Deconstructing Advertising

Companies today will do anything to catch the public’s attention with advertising. Whether it is a commercial during the super bowl, a billboard along the highway or an ad in a magazine. If it gets attention, it’s doing the job. One company in particular has released several print ads, which many consider controversial.

Candie’s Fragrances For Men and Women chose sex to get attention. The ad depicts a female, perking her lips, sitting on a computer monitor that is on top of a desk. Not so bad right? However, on the computer screen is an image of a rocket shooting skywards, hence, towards the female’s crotch. This ad is subliminally selling sex, as it takes a few moments to notice the image on the computer screen. There is also a male model sitting down in font of the desk, smirking as he is pressing buttons on the keyboard. The male’s crotch is directly beneath the rocket; subliminally suggesting it is his penis. The ad is trying to portray that the woman is oblivious to the screen, as the male is smirking at her oblivion, like he is playing a joke on her. I believe this ad is trying to portray that women are objects, and cannot think for themselves, and that males have full control over women, which is completely false.

The female model is holding a Candie’s Female perfume bottle, and a Candie’s Male perfume bottle is seen sitting on the desk. The thing I find interesting is that the product is not the focus of the advertisement. Only when one looks at the image for a while do they notice the small fragrance bottles. The primary focus of the ad is the women and the computer screen, the smirking male is second, and finally the product is third. This ad is more focused on the sex, than on the actual product they are advertising.

The actual product would not change if the ad were just of the fragrance bottle with a white background. It is the image surrounding the product that can change one’s perspective of the product. Companies such as Candie’s should be a little more reserved if choosing to use sex to sell, because an advertisement like this may wreck a companie’s reputation permanently.

“Sex sells, yes, but only when used “in good taste.” As marketers we must think not only in getting customers’ attention for the short term, but also in building a brand reputation that will yield long-term results” – Mark Levit

Works Cited

Duffy, MacKenzie . "Gendered Images." Course Blog for Feminist Media Studies. 2007. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://blog.lib.umn.edu/raim0007/gwss3307_fall2007/3_gendered_images/>.

Levit, Mark . "Sex in Advertising: Does it Sell?." Ezine Articles. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Sex-in-Advertising:-Does-it-Sell?&id=14551>.

Mass Media

Mass media is a very broad term, and can be analyzed from many different perspectives. However, I deem the term mass media to be any form of media that is received or distributed on a large scale. Let me explain. If only 100 people in the world owned a television, I would not consider T.V. as “mass media”. However, if 100,000,000 people owned a T.V., I would definitely consider it as mass media, as mass media targets a large market. With the invention of the printing press, books could be mass-produced, and in return, be sold to a mass market.

The concept of mass media holds that a large number of people will receive the exact same information, which suggests that mass media shapes culture to an extent. For example, McDonald’s is known all across the world, including America. If an American were to ask, “what’s MacDonald’s”, they would probably be laughed at. This is because they are not on the same page as the rest of society, who is exposed to mass media. If every American knows MacDonald’s, it is part of American culture.

Mass media can be any form of large-scale media including the internet, television, radio, literature, advertisements etc. These new technologies create what Marshall McLuhan calls the “global village”; where the world is all connected through different media, as if everyone were at arms length from each other. For example, one can pick up a phone, and talk to a person across the world as if they were standing right beside them. Mass media helps shape this global village, which we ultimately rely on for daily function.

“The modern age is the age of the electric media, which forge environments and cultures antithetical to the mechanical consumer society derived from print” - Marshall McLuhan

Works Cited

"What is Mass Media?." Wise Geek. 2009. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mass-media.htm>.

Marshall McLuhan, “The Playboy Interview" . <http://folk.uio.no/gisle/links/mcluhan/pb.html>.

The Ecology of Media

When the first cellular phone call was placed on April 3, 1973 by it’s inventor Martin Cooper, the world as we know it was changed forever. One could be contacted wirelessly without having to reach a landline or use a payphone, meaning anyone with a cell phone was reachable at almost any given moment. The cell was originally designed solely for telecommunication, where two parties would verbally converse over the phone. Its function now is completely different from its original purpose.

Not only can users verbally communicate through modern cell phones, they can communicate in almost every way possible. Most phones or “Smartphones” now feature text messaging, built-in cameras, mp3 players, wireless internet access, GPS, calculators, calendars, e-mail, voice recorders…the list goes on and on! Does this so-called “cellular phone” even sound like a phone anymore? Clearly the cell’s function has mutated far beyond its original purpose.

Cell phones have a large cultural impact on their users. Users are glued to their phones almost 24/7. They text while driving, get sports score updates instantly and e-mail on the go. Users are constantly engaged with their cell phones and are highly dependent on them for daily function. If one’s cell phone is lost or stolen, it is “the end of the world” for that user, because they are so dependent on having mobile access to the world. Once that mobility is taken away, it is like that user is isolated from the world, since the modern world know-a-days is almost all virtual. We spend half our time either on a computer, cell phone or watching television. The idea of mobile communication is the future. It has already replaced the landline, and has yet to replace many other technologies as it mutates even further, creating a virtual mobile web, and slowly "deleting" culture.

"People want to talk to other people - not a house, or an office, or a car. Given a choice, people will demand the freedom to communicate wherever they are, unfettered by the infamous copper wire. It is that freedom we sought to vividly demonstrate in 1973," – Martin Cooper

Works Cited

"Martin Cooper - History of Cell Phone." About: Inventors. 2009. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://inventors.about.com/cs/inventorsalphabet/a/>.

"Mobile Phones - Changing Times." Quazen. 16 Aug. 2009. 9 Oct 2009. <http://quazen.com/shopping/consumer-electronics/mobile-phones-changing-times/>.

Academic Blogging

This is my first blog ever. I don’t know why I didn’t set one up prior to this course, but now I see just how connected my thoughts can be with the public sphere, rather than being kept to myself. At first glance, the whole idea of blogging seemed complex, as I wasn’t familiar with the whole concept. I went on to the wiki and viewed my peers’ blog URL’s, so I could see which websites I could use to set up my own blog. I picked one of the many blog sites, I made an account, and I was set to start blogging. The overall setup of the blog was not as difficult as I thought it to be. It was just like setting up an email account, or a Facebook account, which I had already done in the past.

This concept of blogging and interconnectedness is very mind-blowing to me. Once I post a blog, it is there for the entire world to see, and I can also see others’ blogs in return. My thoughts may not be relevant to everyone, but there might be someone out there with the exact same thoughts or views as myself. As for the others who may oppose or disagree with my thoughts or views, it forces me to question and reconsider my own. I may be only one public figure contributing to the public sphere, but when millions of humans, just like myself, come together, we become one entity. A blog has endless possibilities, but it is up to the blogger to decide how he or she uses that power.

“A blog is merely a tool that lets you do anything from change the world to share your shopping list” – Unknown

Works Cited

"Blogging Quotations." Finest Quotes. 9 Oct. 2009. <http://www.finestquotes.com/select_quote-category->.